Real Betis coach Manuel Pellegrini is wary of Rangers’ intensity and the famously feverish Ibrox crowd ahead of Thursday’s UEFA Europa League group-stage opener in Glasgow.
Hammered 5-0 at Barcelona over the weekend and facing up to throwing Betis’ third-choice goalkeeper in at the deep following an injury crisis between the sticks, it’s fair to say Pellegrini’s side are not exactly enjoying ideal preparation ahead of their trip to Scotland.
Only two teams in La Liga have conceded more than Betis so far this season too. And that Calatan collapse must not be repeated if Los Verdiblancos are to obtain a result away at a Rangers side who have only lost three home games in the Europa League since the start of the 2018/19 season.
Rangers host Real Betis at Ibrox tonight
“The opponent is very strong at home,” Pellegrini, the former Manchester City, Real Madrid and West Ham coach, tells AS. “Scoring here would be very important.
“Scottish football is very intense, although it is different. They always give one hundred per cent.
“I think that, in theory, we may be the two best in the group. But then we have to prove it in practice. Sparta Prague and Aris will not be easy. I don’t think there will be easy games in the group.”
The likes of Cyriel Dessers, Kemar Roofe and the in-form Rabbi Matondo will be licking their lips in anticipation at the prospect of going up against Betis’ third-choice ‘keeper; Claudio Bravo and Rui Silva both injury doubts. But Rangers do not exactly have a clean bill of health themselves, the Ibrox treatment room busier than the London underground on Christmas eve.
Injury-hit Rangers lose another key player
Nicolas Raskin, arguably Mick Beale’s most important midfielder, has been ruled out, alongside playmaker Todd Cantwell and Danilo, the £6 million summer signing and scorer of the opener away at St Johnstone last time out.
“The injuries to the three we mentioned, they’re three important players so it’s not ideal,” Beale tells Rangers Review. “(But) there is good news around Kieran Dowell. We’re hoping he’ll be back around the Livingston game, into the game with Aberdeen.
“We get another number back there. We still had 20 senior players today.”
